The Dirty Truth (and care tips) About Stainless Steel Kitchen Appliances

Let’s face it. Stainless steel appliances are the way of the future. They are modern and chic looking, bringing an industrial style of elegance into every home they grace. Home remodelers, builders, owners and renters alike all agree that this sleek trend is here to stay. No worries about being the wrong color in 10 years. For good reason too! They upgrade the look of every kitchen, they’re efficient and easy to clean…

Right?

Well, maybe not. One of the most frustrating facts about these gems is that they only look like the superheroes they are when they’re standing strong, shiny and totally clean. You know the troubles and woes of the kitchen. Random spills happen all the time. Water drips and finger markings plague your surfaces. The truth is, after just a few bodies enter the kitchen, that feel of elegance quickly turns into a need for a cleaning rampage.

At Bayes, we saw this problem and came to the rescue. We don’t like those smudges either. We knew that we could easily create a product that erased the marks and smudges, but wanted to deliver even more. So we did.

We created a stainless steel cleaner that not only removes those pesky marks but also leaves a protective finish that helps to keep those marks, drips and smudges away for even longer. We feel that just because a product works well, doesn’t mean you should have to use it constantly.

And it gets better. Not only is this product effective and protective, but it safe for your lungs, your skin and the environment as well. All of Bayes Cleaning products are made non-toxic and environmentally friendly for everyone's benefit. After all, it’s not enough to just have a clean home, you want a clean and healthy world as well.

So the good news, is you can still enjoy those wonderful stainless steel appliances in your kitchen for years to come, knowing the the power of Bayes is going to show up to protect, serve and compliment that beautiful esthetic you love so much.

For more information or to see Bayes complete line of green cleaning products, visit our website or contact us. We’d love to answer your questions and support you in your effort for cleaner living!

DIY Organic Cleaning Tips: Wine Spills, Duct Tape Residue, and More!

We've all been in that situation where we panic faced with a potential stain or cleaning chore that we have no idea how to remove!  That's the moment where grandma's miracle cleaning solutions come in to save the day! As this is so common, we've compiled a list of some of the top emergency miracle cures for life's messy little disasters. 

Here are some DIY organic cleaning solutions for everyday emergencies:

Wine spills
You've got to take action right away on this one, as with more time, the wine sets deeper into the fibers. First blot as much away as possible. Mix one to two- white vinegar to water and saturate the spill. Blot the area again. Then mix 1/4 tsp of liquid dishwashing detergent with four cups of lukewarm water, pouring a small amount of the solution onto the carpet. Work it in with gentle blotting. Use water and a clean cloth to blot spill and it should remove the rest of the stain.  You may even want to keep this solution pre mixed and available.  If there's any further color left, dilute about 2 TBSP of hydrogen peroxide with 1 TBSP of dishwashing detergent and repeat the process using this solution. Keep in mind that peroxide is a bleaching agent and should be used with care. 

Duct tape residue
Residue sticking around? Place another piece of duct tape on the old residue and blow dry.  The heat will fuse the old residue to the new piece quickly and efficiently. Other options include Eucalyptus oil (simply work into the residue, let sit and wipe clean) and peanut butter.  Don't laugh, it's true! The oil breaks up the glue and the peanut is just slightly abrasive enough to scrub the stubborn areas off. Regular butter and oil can work as well, but you'll have to put in more effort. 

Liquid makeup
Makeup is a blessing to the face but a nightmare to the clothing. First of all, don't rub it in! For powder foundation, It's easy to dust off excess powder, but a ground-in stain is harder to deal with. Instead, mix up a solution of white vinegar and water to remove the smudge — test it on an inconspicuous spot first for colorfastness. This concoction also works well to get rid of dried-up stains on the bathroom countertop. For liquid foundation, you'll be interested to know that shaving cream can do the trick. You can add a splash of rubbing alcohol if it needs that extra boost as well. Once you've loosened it up pretty well, throw it in the wash for that last cleansing effort! 

At Bayes, we know you want your life clean but also clean of harmful toxic chemicals. We make a wide selection of cleaning products that we are proud to be able to share with you. From our family to yours, we wish you great health! 

Green Roofs Are Amazing! Here's What You Need to Know!

Have you ever thought of installing a green roof?  They are a great option for the family that wants to have a more environmentally friendly home.  If part or all of your roof is flat or nearly flat, installing a green roof may cut your heating and cooling costs during the winter and summer, respectively, and give you a relaxing spot of outdoor space up off the ground! Green roofs are generally more aesthetically appealing than traditional roofing systems, and may help improve local air quality. If you live in an urban area, taking this step will also help mitigate the urban heat island effect which results in higher temperatures over urban areas that retain heat better than surrounding areas which are more vegetated. Increased temperatures not only mean elevated power consumption, but can also negatively impact air quality and public health in general. Here are some things you should know about green roofs: 

Green roofs are mere slabs of nature placed exclusively on the rooftops of corporate skyscrapers and couture-designed architecture?  Think again! Green roofs are practical constructs that should and can be added to all buildings – tall and short, residential and commercial – in various ways, as they provide numerous benefits to not only the environment, but to the architectural soundness of the artifice and even to your health.
 
Regular gardening soil will not work the same way on your green roofing, even if you plant the same flower or vegetable from your backyard. Soil used on green roofs is specifically formulated to make the most out of your green garden-scape without weighing down on the roofing structure or insulation, which is something regular gardening soil can’t provide.
 
Know What You Are PlantingThe types of plant you place on your roof are usually what determine the type of soil you use. Because green roofing structures aren’t able to support plants with expansive root systems, short plants like grass, flowers and easy-to-handle vegetables are perfect for the shallow soil depth that most green roofs are able to sustain. Small, local plants are a great way to take further advantage of being an eco-friendly roof. Larger plants like fruit trees and other small arbors should be placed in their soil pots to prevent crowding root space and over-absorption of nutrients.
 
What to Look For If there is one thing you need to understand about green roof-engineered soil, it’s that is needs to be lightweight. No heavy gardening soil, period! Though some roofs have structures that can handle a bit of extra weight, most will not, particularly residential roofs. It is wise to not take the risk of using regular soil and watching your roof cave in or experience leaking from oversaturation.
 
With that in mind, here are some other things to look out for when soil shopping: water permeability and retention, rot resistance, nutrient saturation, and balanced aeration. Do not be intimidated, as these are all simple concepts that are quite easy to understand once you move past the terminology.
 
No standards exist in the U.S. for green roof soil specifications, but they are generally determined by the depth and weight of plants, climate and roof irrigation. The latter is particularly important, as an imbalance in its structure could lead to all sorts of problems for the rest of the building.
 
So be choosey about your soil!  It can make or break the project!  Green roofs are a great step toward sustainability and green living!  And at Bayes, we are dedicated to green living, which is why we have designed our line of green home cleaning products to suit your family's need for organic options in green living. Come by and see what we have for you today!

Hate Your Messy Kitchen? How to Enjoy a Cleaner Kitchen With Less Work!

Every now and then, it's both wise and necessary roll up your sleeves and really do a deep clean on your kitchen. But how do you maintain that beautiful shine on a daily basis without obsessing and going crazy? Well, rest assured, that it's entirely possible, and today, we are going to share some simple tips to help you keep your kitchen clean on the daily; without the extra elbow grease!

Prepare Your Cooking Canvass

This one is so simple and helpful.  Before you dive into a cooking masterpiece, make sure your dishwasher, sink  and counter tops are empty and cleared; that way, you can rinse and load dishes and utensils right away instead of leaving them to sit out for a few hours (to get all crusty, stay overnight and haunt your morning!) Call in your reserves too!  If you have a partner or children in the home, ask for help.  If you're eating dinner, contribute!

Clean As You Go 

Now that your sink and dishwasher are empty and waiting, cleaning as you go is less intimidating! (And cleaning up after dinner will be a quick piece of cake!) 

Don't Forget the Sink

Just because the dishes are out of the sink doesn't mean you're done! Use a little of your dish soap or a little baking soda and vinegar as you gently wipe the thin layer of things accumulated on the sink.  This reduces smells and buildup. Added bonus, if you have a garbage disposal, throw an orange or lemon peal inside and let it run! The enzymes will kill the what's resting near the top of the drain and will leave a fresh fragrance behind as well! 

Oil Your Boards

If you use wooden or bamboo cutting boards, it's good to maintain them about once a month and it only takes about 5 minutes.  Just pour about a TBSP of oil onto a paper towel or hand towel and massage on to the board, working the oil into the grooves. The same can be done for wooden utensils.  This saves time, money and allows your board to last much longer! 

Have the Right Tools and Keep Them in Reach

Don't you hate when you're all geared to clean and all you find is window cleaner? ... or dish soap? I'm not saying you need every cleaner known to man, but its good to have a few good cleaners to keep the job easy and efficient. For example, always have a degreaser for stove top burners.  Every home needs an all purpose cleaner, and you can even make your own with vinegar and some essential oils. Lastly, don't be the person that runs out of sponges and keeps using the sour one.  You'll thank me later!

Care For Your Counter Tops

Clear the clutter, folks. Counter tops loose their open appeal when they're lost in the piles that hide them! Clutter makes a kitchen feel chaotic and claustrophobic, whereas tidy and clear counter tops are invigorating and inspiring. They are also very inviting. They inspire you to cook, instead running from your kitchen to order fast food instead. Start by clearing the clutter and you'll see what I mean! Also, if you're one of the lucky ones to have granite counter tops, you have a fantastic, multi-use material to take care of.  Be sure to have Bayes Granite Counter Top Rejuvenator on hand. It conditions the counter tops in a non-toxic and gentle but durable way. Keep extra sponges around. 

It's far more simple than you may think.  Just start with a few ideas each week and work them into your routine.  I promise, you'll see the difference. Then, at the end of the month - see how much easier that BIG deep clean will be!